I am posting information gleaned from land records in the areas where our family’s ancestors resided. You can read more about this project in the overview. You may also check my deed record listing, which I will update with each post.

Here is the land described, as shown in the 1889 Atlas. This transaction was recorded more than a year after it was signed, a long time, but not as long as some other deeds I have seen.

The land is listed as owned by “W H Burdick” in the old 1889 Atlas1. I have not seen another record for an individual name “WH” in Wexford County. Just to check back, I quickly searched the 1870, 1800 and 1900 census indexes of Wexford County for Burdicks, with these results:

1870: George W., Mary J., Susan, and Fank (sic) C., and Mable C. in Colfax Wexford, MI. The closest families with a matching last name were: James C. and James in Manistee Ward 1, Manistee County, MI. and James and Manervia (sic) in Bear Lake, Manistee, MI.

1880: Geo, Mary, Link (sic) and Mabel G in Colfax, Wexford, Michigan. Closest family with a matching last name: Silas R, Mirtie, Larry and (Bingo!) William H. in Hersey, Osceola, Michigan. I jumped back and check Osceola for Burdicks and William H. 1870 and found none.

1900: With more Burdicks moving in, I search specifically for W H, W.H., W and H as first names with the last name Burdick in Wexford, Grand Traverse, Manistee, and Osceola counties. I found no one who might be the land owner listed as W.H. Burdick.

That information combined with my next transcription convinces me that George W. Burdick was simply listed as “H.W.” in error in the Atlas. Here is that deed:

I noticed almost immediately that although the deeds were executed in two locations, far distant from each other, they were both recorded in Wexford County on the same day. George W. Burdick obtained title to this 80 acres by purchasing the interest of five individuals.